Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena
PrepTime:5 mins CookTime:15 mins Cuisine:International
Table of Contents⇓ RecipeCard⇓

Red Sauce Penne Pasta with Tomatoes and Cheese, is my first pasta recipe that I am sharing here in my, Instant Pot Pasta recipes collection.
Though I make pasta dishes mostly on stove top, recently I started making in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and few times even on Stove Top Pressure Cooker as well.
Loved, how easy it has become, to make pasta in a Pressure Cooker, in a One Pot Manner using the Instant Pot technique. It can be done just within 10 mins from start to finish, excluding the pressure release time.
I have even tried the same recipe using Stove Top Pressure Cooker, it came out just as shown in the pics.
Using an electric pressure cooker / stove top pressure cooker, reduces the pressure cooking time to almost half and my favourite part is it uses only ONE POT!!
Here, I have made this pasta dish with simple ingredients, to make the cooking process more easy, by cooking pasta along with the tomato sauce, which makes the cook time very less.
So, let’s start and learn how to make this instant pot recipe which has become my family favourite. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Table of Contents:
Click to Expand / Collapse
- Video for ‘Penne Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Cheese’:
- Possible Alterations for, ‘Instant Pot Cheesy Penne Pasta Recipe’:
- Other recipes from my blog:
- Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Cheesy Tomato Sauce Penne Pasta in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker’:
- Prep Work:
- Cooking:
- Tips & Storage:
- Result:
- Recipe Card & Print:
Video for ‘Penne Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Cheese’:
Possible Alterations for, ‘Instant Pot Cheesy Penne Pasta Recipe’:
Pasta Type: Any, shorter in length, type of pasta can be used here. Like shell pasta, fusilli pasta, elbow pasta suits best.
Cheese Variety: Any cheese of your choice can be used, best suitable ones are Mozzarella Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, Cream Cheese.
Vegan options: I have used only vegan cheese for this recipe.
Variety of Pasta Sauce options: I have used store bought canned Tomato Pasta sauce. Instead you can even use freshly chopped tomatoes / diced tomatoes.
Stove Top Pressure Cooker Method: You will have to follow the same recipe as that of an Instant Pot, but let it cook for 2 whistles only.

Other recipes from my blog:
Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.
Instant Pot Curry recipes collection⇒ 20+ Instant Pot Indian Vegetarian Curry Recipes
Air Fryer recipes collection⇒ Air – Fryer Recipes
One Pot Rice Recipes Collection⇒ 15+ Easy Instant Pot Indian Rice Recipes
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Ingredients:
- Dry Penne Pasta (uncooked) – 4 heaped cups
- Olive Oil – 5 tablespoons
- Salt – 2 to 3 teaspoons
- Dry Red Chilli Flakes / Red Pepper Flakes – 1 to 2 teaspoons
- Garlic – ½ tablespoon (fresh / powder / paste)
- Chopped White Onions – 2 large
- Tomato Puree / Marinara Sauce / Tomato Paste – 2 cups (500 gm)
- Chopped Tomatoes / Crushed Tomatoes (canned / fresh) – 2 cups (500 gm)
- Water – 3 cups (or until the pasta is just covered with water)
- Mozzarella Cheese – ½ cup to 1 cup
- Fresh Basil Leaves – 6
- Cherry Tomatoes – 6
Special Ingredients:
- Tomato Puree / Marinara Sauce
- Chopped Tomatoes

Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Cheesy Tomato Sauce Penne Pasta in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker’:
Prep Work:
Gather all the ingredients at one place on the kitchen platform.

Cooking:
Switch ON the Instant Pot, select MODE to SAUTE, time to 5 mins.
Add the oil, let it heat, then add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté by stirring.

When the timer is done, the IP beeps. Click CANCEL.
Then add>> tomato chunks, tomato puree / marinara sauce, dry chilli flakes, salt. Mix everything.

Add ½ cup of water. Deglaze, Scrape the bottom well, see that nothing sticks to the bottom. This is important step to prevent from getting BURNT NOTICE.
Now, on the top of the pasta sauce, add the dry penne pasta. Spread the pasta throughout.

Pour water (3 to 3½ cups) or until the pasta is covered.
Close the Instant Pot lid. Set the pressure valve to SEALING, time to 4 mins, MODE to Pressure Cook, PRESSURE LEVEL to Low.

When the timer is done, the Instant Pot beeps. Then switch the GADGET off.
You can either go for Quick Pressure Release (QPR) after 10 mins. Or natural pressure release (NPR).

Open the lid, add the grated mozzarella cheese. Mix up everything from the bottom.
Garnish the pasta with fresh basil leaves and cherry tomatoes. Done!

Tips & Storage:
- Adjust the salt & spice as per your taste.
- The only thing that takes time is to chop the onions, you can avoid this if you are using onion powder and garlic powder.
- Or else use 4 to 5 cloves garlic, chop them very finely.
- To Avoid Burn Notice: Before adding the dried pasta, add ½ cup of water. Deglaze, Scrape the bottom well, see that nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Storage: This dish stays good for 2 days at room temperature.
- For the dish to stay more than a week, once cooked, let the dish cool down completely. Transfer into air-tight containers. Store them in refrigerator. Before serving warm it in the microwave for 2 mins.
Result:
- The, Instant Pot Penne Pasta, is made within a minimum time of just 10 mins, and is very easy to make too.
- I made this for dinner the other day, while my kids were getting freshened up after a busy day.
- The flavourful combination of tomatoes, cheese, onions, garlic, is all you taste in every bite of the perfectly cooked pasta.
- My whole family loved this delicious dinner and now this easy pasta recipe has become a quick meal option for me to make.
- This, delicious pasta is filling on its own or else you can serve with sides like garlic bread, Homemade Carrot Fries (Air Fryer or Grill) , Potato Wedges with Rosemary (Air Fryer & Oven), Crispy Cajun Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Air Fryer, Simple Indian Curried Broccoli in Air Fryer or Stove Top.

Recipe Card & Print:

Instant Pot Penne Pasta with Cheesy Tomato Sauce (with video)
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker (for IP method)
- 1 Stove Top Pressure Cooker (for one pot stove top method)
Ingredients
- 4 cups Dry Penne Pasta (uncooked) (heaped cups)
- 5 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2-3 teaspoons Salt (or as per taste)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Dry Red Chilli Flakes / Red Pepper Flakes (or per your taste)
- ½ tablespoon Garlic (fresh / powder / paste)
- 2 count Chopped White Onions (large size)
- 2 cups Tomato Puree / Marinara Sauce / Tomato Paste (500 gms)
- 2 cups Chopped Tomatoes / Crushed Tomatoes (500 gms) (canned / fresh)
- 3 – 3½ cups Water (or till the pasta is just covered with water)
- ½ to 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese (or any cheese of your choice)
- 6 count Fresh Basil Leaves (for garnish)
- 6 count Cherry Tomatoes (for garnish)
Instructions
1cup=250ml; ¾ cup=180ml; ½cup=125ml; 1 tbsp=14ml; 1 tsp = 4ml
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Method:
- Gather all the ingredients at one place on the kitchen platform.
- Switch ON the Instant Pot, select MODE to SAUTE, time to 5 mins.Add the oil let it heat, then add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté by stirring.
- When the timer is done, the IP beeps. Click CANCEL. Then add>> tomato chunks, tomato puree / marinara sauce, dry chilli flakes, salt.
- Add ½ cup of water. Deglaze, Scrape the bottom well, see that nothing sticks to the bottom. This is important step to prevent from getting BURNT NOTICE.
- Add the dry penne pasta. Spread the pasta throughout.Pour water (3 to 3½) until the pasta is covered.
- Close the Instant Pot lid. Set the pressure valve to SEALING, time to 4 mins, MODE to Pressure Cook, PRESSURE LEVEL to Low.
- Instant Pot beeps when the timer is done. Then switch the GADGET off. You can either go for Quick Pressure Release (QPR) after 10 mins. Or natural pressure release (NPR).
- Open the lid, add the grated mozzarella cheese. Mix up everything from the bottom.Garnish the pasta with fresh basil leaves and cherry tomatoes. Done!
Stove Top Instructions:
- Stove Top Pan Method: Cook the pasta in a sauce pan filled with water, drain the water. Later in the same sauce pan, continue the same recipe as above. Just that the pasta is already cooked.
- Stove Top Pressure Cooker Method: You will have to follow the same recipe as that of an Instant Pot, but let it cook for 2 whistles only.
Notes
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